Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-07-01

Grated with intrigue ana a low standard
of morality ? Through our politics, APP
parently, one increasing purpose runs to
give up to party what was meant for man
kind. More and more in the true field OF
statesmen, we raise demagogues and dis
gust noble minds. CleonS we can repro.
duce in Buffers and Harrisons, but the
Platos and the Aristotles of politics, APP
parently, never.
1t has been the natural result of our
lack of sound teaching on the subject
that the most extreme and irrational theo-
ries concerning parties have been develop
ed. On one hand we see many good peo
pie who hold political parties to be utterly
needless, If, indeed, they are not mere cor
rupt conspiracies of politicians for serv-
ing their own ends, and, on this ground
they plausibly excuse themselves from
voting and, on the other extreme, vastly
greater numbers, who regard parties as
bodies, providentially fruitful of patriot
ism, pre- ordained to stand between the
people and the government, and the great
sources of its virtues and strength. In
the view of the latter class, not to adhere
strictly to party, and especially to con
denim one of its candidates, or to refuse
obedience to one OF its mandates, Is to
commit the objectionable sin against the
Holy Ghost of the political world. Ac-
cepting the theory OF Aaron Burr and the
maxim of Marcy, this class of politicians
hold that party should be rs highly or
that unlimited political assessments and
universal patronage are rs necessary to
the former as pillage was ever held to be-
or ratons now are, to the latter. To them
true party, uncompromising in its devo-
ton to principles, resOlute in the spirit of
patriotism, earnest and active from a
sense of duty, and, hence, irresistible in
the support of a free and intelligent peo-
ple-yet scoring mere patronage and con
ceding universal liberty in the world of
politcs-is thing impossible-a mere
dream of enthusiasts.
Between these wide extremes is great
body of candid people, including, | am
sure, the whole of this audience, who dis
approve alike the wild radicalism and the
apathy of one side. and the lack of faith,
the vicious greed and the intolerant fauati-
cism of the other ; but many of whom,
nevertheless, have perplexing doubts as
to the true sphere and functions of par
ties ana their just claims upon the cit-
zenS Some members of this middle d-
vision-by their friends called independ-
ents, and by their enemies, Mugwumps-
and more and more OF them in later wears
have exercised what they call the right
and duty of voting according to their
judgment and conscience, and of refusing
to obey their party managers whenever
they believe them clearly wrong.
Let us consider these theories We are
confronted, at once. by the claim that par.
ties spring out of Inherent elements of
human nature, which will forever repro
duce them AS we have them. whatever we
may say or do-are in fact like the state
itself, the family, the social relations-a
part of the divine order of the political
world, into which men are born SO that
to criticize them and attempt to limit
| their sphere of action. is a presumptuous
and hopeless kind of rebellion against the
eternal conditions of political life 1t is
to such persons unthinkabe that gov
eminent can be carried on except by a
party, or that parties may be as fifty regu-
| lated by law as corporations, societies and
partnerships.
Political parties of some sort are not
only natural, but seem pretty sure to eX-
| list. They may unquestion4bly be so limit
ed and regulated as to be highly useful.
| Considered on their lowest plane-hardly
aoove mere instinct-it is just as natural
| for human beings, having common inter
! ests, fears or aims, to come and cooper
ate together, as it is for bees buffaoes or
| wolves; while the higher motives and
| purposes which draw men into parties are
of that disinterested and exalted kind
which inspire and sustain all those noble
! deeds by which education, charity, hui
manity and religion are advanced in the
world. 1t is mainly for the very reason
! that the motives and the objects of party
| action may thus range all the way from a
greed and revenge hardly above the in
! stincts OF savage, to the patriotism and
humanity hardly below the supreme vr
tues of "a philanthropsht and saint
that it Is necessary to inquire what kind
of a party is useful and what it may fifty
| do. Plain as the truth is, it needs to be
said that party is not an end in itself
/ but a mere agency for some higher end.
More important than all combinations
among the people are the people them
selves. over all is the moral law, aud
the State itself, with its supreme duty
to protect the rights of the individual and
the foundations of good government
however parties may be affected.
1t is generally assumed that parties
! meaning parties as we have them-if not
7 the makers of enlightened nations, are al
least the conditions of their existence the
permanent sources OF their greatness
their reliable support in the dark hours o.
peril, the inspiration of their nobles
achievements a view, doubtless, which
explains the trembling lips and the patrl
otto emotion with which many good PEG
ple-who have seen little and thought les
on the subject-speak of their dear, grant
old party, which is always saving TIT
country, and resent any hint that its way!
or its candidates are not altogether per
fect--like the creed and ministers of thei
own church.
The lessons of our own history on thes
points are so decisive that We need no
look beyond them. No party gave brit
to this nation or protected its infancy
The profound wisdom which assembled
the irst American Congress in 1863, thu
heroic courage and patriotism exhibited a
Concord and Lexington and in the sign
, ing .of the Declaration of Independence
, the broader experience which framed tn
articles of confederation all the constanc
and self sacrificing love of liberty which
,, established nation on the battletelds o
the Revolution, the Constitution of tn
United States, which Mr.. Gladstone ha
declared to be "the most wonderful woll
, ever struck off at given time by tn
brain and purpose of man" the election
of Washington rs president, and the I'M
rivalled legislation of the first Congress
under which the government was organic
ed, the treaties under which our countr,
took its seat in the family of nations-al
, these great achievements had been mad
! and the most illustrious galaxy of states
men which IA single generation of mel
: has ever produced had been reared, befor
there had been political party on thi
side of the Atlantic. None of that pecu
liar kind of wisdom, courage and patriot
ism, therefore, which is developed only il
. l. % ft.ag H.N. Ia